Psilocybin legislation is helping psychedelic drugs make a comeback – a drug researcher explains the challenges they face

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Benjamin Y. Fong, Arizona State University

(THE CONVERSATION) An operations manager finds relief from her depression with the help of psilocybin, the primary psychoactive component of “magic mushrooms.” A veteran conquers his post-traumatic stress disorder through therapy using MDMA, a synthetic compound known on the street as “ecstasy” or “molly.” A stay-at-home mom tries LSD, otherwise known as acid, for her anxiety.

Nearly every day, such stories appear about the healing potential of psychedelic drugs.

These stories reflect a so-called “psychedelic renaissance” of the moment — a new interest in the drugs most often associated with 1960s counterculture, but now put to therapeutic rather than recreational ends.

A handful of states, spearheaded by Oregon and Colorado, are leading the way for the legalized use of various naturally occurring psychedelic compounds. In 2020, Oregonians passed Measure 109, which legalized...